Duct bank with coupling

ABSTRACT

The ends of a duct bank are provided with flat plates having tapered tubes which accommodate the ends of ducts projecting from said duct banks. The tapered tubes are nestable in similar tubes provided on flat plates engaged with the ends of adjacent duct banks, thereby forming a sealed connection for said duct ends. The duct banks are of generally solid or hollow rectangular form or of hollow cylindrical form.

United States Patent 1 Rafia 51 Jan. 16,1973

[54] DUCT BANK WITH COUPLING [76] Inventor: Angelo M. Rafia, 886 WhitePlains Road, Scarsdale, NY. 10583 [22] Filed: July 8, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 160,751

[52] US. Cl ..285/l37 R, 295/55, 295/138 [51] Int. Cl ..F16l 39/00 [58]Field of Search ..285/137 R, 133 R, 55, 138;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 247,207 9/1881 Mershon..l74/96 3,469,863 9/1969 Riester et a1 ..285/137 R 3,606,395 9/1971Salerno et a1. ..285/137 R Wayne 1,761,075 6/1930 Gest ..l38/112 FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 4,051 0/1897 Great Britain 1 38/1 13 PrimaryExaminer-Dave W. Arol'a Attorney-Charles Marks [57] ABSTRACT The ends ofa duct bank are provided with flat plates having tapered tubes whichaccommodate the endsof ducts projecting from said duct banks. Thetapered tubes are nestable in similar tubes provided on flat platesengaged with the ends of adjacent duct banks, thereby forming a sealedconnection for said duct ends. The duct banks are of generally solid orhollow rectangular form or of hollow cylindrical form.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 16 1915 3,711.12!

Fig 5 over BANK wmr COUPLING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to duct banks of various kindsincluding, among others, duct banks such as are described in a copendingapplication filed concurrently herewith by the applicant, which saidduct banks are installed underground and accommodate electrical con- 1duits. The invention also relates to an improved means for coupling ductbanks of the foregoing kind.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore, it has been customary toinstall electrical transmission lines in conduits disposed inunderground concrete duct banks which aligned end to-end in suitablyexcavated trenches or channels, the conduits in each duct bank beingjoined with the corresponding conduits in the adjacent duct banks.However, because of the weight and bulk of the duct banks, as well asthe difficulty in adjusting them within the confined space afforded bythe trenches, the task of joining the com duits in adjacent duct banksis awkward and time consuming so as to require excessive labor and timein installing the duct banks and completing the installation of whichthey are a part. A corresponding increase in the cost of suchinstallation is alsoentailed.

Apart from this, conventional duct banks frequently fail to take accountof high temperatures associated with the transmission of electricity byconductors within the conduits. Consequently, such duct banks oftenpermit'the conductors to overheat and fail by reason of burnouts.Moreover, in many instances it is quite difficult to gain access to theinterior of conventional duct banks for purposes of maintenance andrepair of the conduits and conductors therein.

The present invention solves these problems.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide duct bankswith improved coupling means whereby they may be readily joined with aminimum of effort and skill.

Another 'object of the invention is to provide duct banks of theforegoing character which are of lightweight construction and permitready access to their interior portions for purposes of maintenance andrepair thereof and of the conduits and electrical conductors containedtherein.

Another object of the invention is to provide duct banks of theforegoing character which may be installed in operative position with aminimum of'special equipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide duct banks of theforegoing character which have improved heat dissipation qualities so asto minimize the occurrence of overheating and burnout of the conduitsand conductors accommodated therein.

A still further object of the invention is to provide duct banks of theforegoing character into which inert or coolant gases may be introducedso as to improve the insulating and heat dissipating qualities of saidduct banks.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION In the present invention, a closure member is provided uponeach end of a duct bank and includes one or more tapered apertures whichare guidably engageable with similar apertures upon closure membersprovided upon adjacent aligned duct banks. Where a plurality of suchapertures are provided on each of said closure members, they aredisposed at spaced intervals coro responding to the spaced intervals ofthe mating apertures, thereby permitting quick and easy alignment andcoupling of the apertures so as to permit abutment of the duct bankswherein the said apertures house the ends of the conduits projectingfrom said duct banks and seal them against outside contaminants.

The tapered apertures are engageable with each other even though saidconduits accommodated thereby are misaligned, thereby avoiding theexpenditure of time and effort otherwise required to couple suchmisaligned conduits.

The foregoing closure members may be employed on the ends of duct banksof conventional design. In modified forms of the invention, the ductbanks are formed as hollow shells provided with adjustable spacerswhichsupport the conduits therein. A pressurized inert or coolant gasmay be introduced within the hollow shell of each duct bank, the gasbeing sealed therein by the above mentioned closure member and any otherdesired end seal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. I- is a cross-sectional, partially exploded view of duct banksincorporating one embodiment of the invention. I

FIG. 2 is a view taken about the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another modified form of theinvention.

FIG. 6 is a view taken about the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded fragmentary, cross-sectional view of one form ofthe closure members which may be employed in the invention.

Throughout the various views, similar numerals are employed to refer tosimilar parts of the invention.

DESCRIFTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of thedrawing, one embodiment of the present invention comprisesa housing,generally designated by the numeral 10, which is abuttable with othersimilar aligned housings ll, 12, as hereinafter described. Each of thehousings l0, 11, 12 includes a plurality of electrical conduits or ducts14.

I Closure members 15, 16 are disposed upon the end faces 17, 18 of thehousings l0, l1, 12, said closure members l5, 16 being composed ofyieldable, resilient plastic material such as polyethylene or'othermaterial having similar characteristics. The closure members 15, 16include planar plates 15a, 16a and a plurality of tapered sleeves 19,V20 having transverse end portions 21, 22 wherein are formed apertures23, 24 which accommodate the ends 25, 26 of the electrical conduits 14.

An important feature of the invention resides in the ability of thesleeves 19, 20 to be engaged with each other. even though the electricalconduits 14 may be misaligned. Thus, it will be observed that theclosure members 15, 16 are preformed and that their respective sleeves19, 20 are spaced apart on each of such closure members 15, 16 ataccurately predetermined intervals, thereby permitting said sleeves19,20 to mate with each other in a nesting position, as depicted in FIG.1, for example, where the housings 10, 12 are shown in operativeposition and the sleeves 19, 20 are in nested engagement with eachother. Even if the housings 10, 11, 12 or the closure members 15, 16 aremisaligned, the yieldable resilience of the material of which suchclosure members 15, 16 are composed permits their operative engagementin the aforementioned position, thereby sealing the interior of thesleeves 19, 20 so as to house the electrical conduits 14 in operativeposition and prevent entry of undesirable contaminants therein. This isaccomplished even though the electrical conduits 14 may not be perfectlyaligned or in continuous abutment.

A modified form of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 of thedrawing wherein a duct bank generally designated by the numeral 29includes a hollow cylindrical shell 30 preferably composed of a hightemperature resisting cement such as Transite, which is a trademark ofJohns Mansville Corporation for its asbestoscement, or other materialsof similar characteristics. The cylindrical shell is provided with asuitable union 31 of conventional design and composed of a materialsimilar to that of the cylindrical shell 30.

Within the shell 30there are one or more upright,

circular discs 32, 33 provided with a plurality of aligned apertures 34,35 which are adapted to accommodate electrical conduits 36 of theconventional variety. The discs 32, 33 are laterally adjustable withrespect to each other and are slidably engaged with the internalperiphery 38 of the cylindrical shell 30, they being in abutmenttherewith so as to maintain them inpositions which are perpendicular .tothe axis of the cylindrical shell 30.

Closure members '37, 37a, similar to the above described closure members15, 16 are disposed on the ends of the cylindrical shell 29, saidclosure members 37, 37a being provided with circularflanges 37b whichare frictionally engaged with the marginal periphery of the ends of thecylindrical shell 29. The electrical conduits 36 project into thesleeves 19, 20 of the closure members 37 37a in the same manner'as thatdescribed with respect to the electrical conduits 14in thefirstmentioned form of the invention, thereby permitting assembly of aseries'of such cylindrical shells 29 inaxially aligned abutment, theclosure members 37, 37a on adjacent such cylindrical shells 29 beingnestable in each other so as to seal the interior thereof againstmoisture and other undesirable substances.

The cylindrical shell 29 is also provided with suitable apertures 29a,29b through which a coolantor inert gas may be introduced to' theinterior of the shell 29, thereby augmenting the insulation qualities ofthe electrical conduits 36 therein and cooling the same so as tominimize the occurrence of burnout which might otherwise arise by reasonof overheating of the electrical conductors to be accommodated therein.

So, also, if desired, a vacuum may be maintained within the cylindricalshell 29, thereby improving the insulating qualities of the regionsurrounding the conduits 36 or otherwise determining the heatdissipation qualities of the region around said conduits 36.

Suitable plugs 29c may be employed to seal the apertures 29a, 29b.

Another modified form of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 ofthe drawing. In this form of the invention, a rectangular shell,generally designated by the numeral 40, includes a horizontal base 41,upright side walls 42 formed integrally with the base 41 and a removablecover 43 provided with a pair of flanges 44 depending from the cover 43and surmounting the side walls 42. The rectangular shell 40 ispreferably composed of the same material as that of the previouslydescribed cylindrical shell 29.

A pair of upright members 45, 46 of generally rectangular conformationare provided with aligned, semi-circular slots 48, 49 adaptedtoaccommodate an electrical conduit 47 of conventional design. Closuremembers 50, 51 are disposed on the ends of the rectangular shell 40,said closure members 50, 51 being provided with a rectangular flange 52which is frictionally engaged with the marginal periphery of the ends ofthe rectangular shell 40. In a manner similar to that described withrespect to the previously described forms of the invention, theelectrical conduit 47 projects into tapered sleeves 48, 49 provided uponsaid closure members 50, 51, thereby permitting nestable engagement ofsaid tapered sleeves 48, 49 with similar sleeves (not shown) onadjacent, aligned duct banks (not shown) and thus affording operativedisposition of the electrical conduit 47 with other such conduits (notshown) in said adjacent, aligned duct banks.

Inert or coolant gases may be introduced within the rectangular shell 40for purposes which have previously been mentioned.

Each of the above described forms of the invention may be disposedunderground in accordance .with conventional practice. if desired, asuitable adhesive (not shown) may' be employed to affix the closuremembers described above to the ends of the foregoing housings.

For purposes of clarity, FIG. 7 depicts one form of the closure memberswhich may be employed in the invention. Thus, as may be seen in FIG. 7,the closure members 60, 61 may be used to seal adjacent electricalconduits 62, 63 intended for coupling, the I closure members 60, 61including planar bases or plates 64, 65,

tapered sleeves 66, 68 adapted to nestable engagement with each otherand accommodating the ends of said electrical conduits 62, 63 despitetheir possible misalignment.' 1 I The embodiments of the inventionillustrated and b. closure members provided on opposing ends of saidhousing;

0. each of said closure members including:

i. a planar plate; and ii. a plurality of tapered sleeves depending fromsaid planar plate;

d. said electrical conduits having end portions accommodated within saidtapered sleeves;

c. said tapered sleeves being engageable with aligned tapered sleeves onadjacent duct banks accommodating adjacent end portions of electricalconduits;

f. said housing including a hollow shell;

g. upright means slidably engaged with the internal periphery of saidhollow shell;

h. said upright means being provided with a plurality of aperturesadapted to slidably accommodate said electrical conduits;

i. said upright means being laterally adjustable within said hollowshell; said hollow sh'ell being of rectangular conformation; k. s'aidhollow shell including:

i. a base; ii. upright side walls formed integrally with said base; andiii. a closure member surmounting said upright side walls;

\ 1. said vertical members being of generally rectangular conformation;m. said apertures being formed as semi-circular slots in said verticalmembers.

1. A duct bank accommodating a plurality of electrical conduitscomprising in combination: a. a housing; b. closure members provided onopposing ends of said housing; c. each of said closure membersincluding: i. a planar plate; and ii. a plurality of tapered sleevesdepending from said planar plate; d. said electrical conduits having endportions accommodated within said tapered sleeves; e. said taperedsleeves being engageable with aligned tapered sleeves on adjacent ductbanks accommodating adjacent end portions of electrical conduits; f.said housing including a hollow shell; g. upright means slidably engagedwith the internal periphery of said hollow shell; h. said upright meansbeing provided with a plurality of apertures adapted to slidablyaccommodate said electrical conduits; i. said upright means beinglaterally adjustable within said hollow shell; j. said hollow shellbeing of rectangular conformation; k. said hollow shell including: i. abase; ii. upright side walls formed integrally with said base; and iii.a closure member surmounting said upright side walls; l. said verticalmembers being of generally rectangular conformation; m. said aperturesbeing formed as semi-circular slots in said vertical members.